Bridlington 5 Scarborough Athletic 2

So, the quirky hand of fate had us all playing again, just 7 days since we were last at it. During the last week, we had played and beaten Arnold Town at their place in El Presidente’s Cup and Scarborough had a (soon to be) mid-table clash with Armthorpe, where it finished 1-1, nice.

The tingle wasn’t there this week, the cloud of doom from above my head had only just cleared from last week. Another healthy crowd drinking and eating plenty, the chairmen would be pleased.

Conditions for the game were not that bad compared to what had been happening – it had been lashing it down and swirling a gale just the night before.

We started off well, it was scrappy at times, but the majority of chances went our way. Our passing and movement was good, and the lads at the back were making some exceptional last ditch tackles to keep the lively Scarborough strikers at bay. Again it was Nathan that broke the deadlock, a “disputed” effort, as the lino had flagged for an offside, but stood where I was, Nathan had come through the line, but there was a player in an offside position (i think it was Frank Belt). Fair play to the ref, who I think had a great game, he had kept up with play and seen Nathans run, and quickly consulted with the lino to tell him he was wrong with his decision.

As we neared half time, it felt like I was living some kind of Groundhog Day, oh god we’re 1 up and Boro are getting back into the game, but thankfully Craig Burdick puts my mind at ease with a fine goal.

Second half and Scarborough do try and get back into the game, with a fine goal from Ryan Blott, shit it is happening all over again. However, this goal is only the start of an 8 minute period of goal action. Frank Belt scores another “belter” from outside the box in open play two minutes later. I have read on the Seadog forum that the keeper was at fault for letting this one go through him, in fairness, Frank hit it with such force that the keeper was shaping to save it, but it took a slight deflection on its way through, the keeper had little time to react.

Jordan of the Mafia, jumped onto the pitch to celebrate with Craig Burdick, and was promptly rugby tackled by a very very keen steward and frog marched out of the ground. If, a big if, the steward had done that to me, I would have been frog marched out of the ground by the rozzers, coz I would have chinned the steward for the way he handled the situation. 1) there was no need to man handle Jordan like that 2) whilst I don’t condone what Jordan did, some perspective of what the game meant to everyone should be observed, just someone showing a little passion. A good ticking off would have sufficed. 3) there are NO SIGNS saying to stay off the pitch 4) the stewards were probably pissed off at the singing and the fact we were whipping their arses on the pitch.

A massive four minutes later and the majority of the 1002 fans in the ground are cheering as Craig Hogg reduces the deficit again. But undeterred by this, we go up the other end, and Ash Allanson delivers a bullet corner that is met on the nearpost by Wayne Wallace with a thunder header. Wayne had an excellent game today and topped it off with an identically worked goal 10 minutes from time.

We did have a few other chances, but their keeper made some smart saves to keep our lads at bay. All in all a great day, great display by the lads, because they all played out of their skin, the back four were immense, the midfield made great runs with some slick passing and Palms up front, whilst he didnt get much of a sniff in front of goal, he did hold the play up and chase down their defenders and keeper.

The cloud of doom has been replaced by a sparkling ray of sunshine.

BionicBarmby has put highlights of the first half online, so credit to him for this footage, thanks.

Bridlington Town 1 Scarborough Athletic 2

Ok, it’s 6 days after the game, and I can only just gather the inspiration to jot down my thoughts and views from last Saturdays first game.

The tenant v landlord game has always sparked a highly charged atmosphere, irrespective of how good the football or the teams are. Saturdays encounter was no different. Many Brid supporters had been very excited relishing the thought of this fixture, yeah I had a tingle too, but mine didn’t really materialise until I got to the ground at 2. There were probably 150 in the ground at this point, wow.

We warmed up in our normal fashion, SAFC turned up in ones and twos and had a reasonable workout, and all the while the turnstiles were kept very busy. Our angelic choir boys were in full sing, with numbers swelled for the game. Kick off comes, and the ground is busier than that of the FC United game nearly 2 years to the day, as it turns out there were 1082 in the ground – an NCEL record.

3 o’clock comes and the whole ground is buzzing, that sort of “first game of the season” “non-league team drawn against United at Old Trafford” kind of a tingle. The early signs were good and we have the majority of play and posession. Nathan breaks the deadlock on about 6 minutes, I cheer, but there isn’t that many around me doing the same, GULP. But thankfully, everyone around me is there for the game, like me. And on that point, the spirit amongst the two sets of fans was brilliant.

Talking of brilliant, the SAFC keeper made some excellent saves in the game, and we do waste a few more of our own in the first half. However, we do go into the break 1 up. There were a couple of talkie points in the first half, but this is not the forum to discuss them – coz I can’t be bothered.

Second half and someone has sprinkled some magic dust on the “visitors” and some “play like a mongue” dust on the home team – thats a bit harsh, in fairness we just weren’t allowed to play, and when we did, the keeper was exceptional form or we just lost our composure in front of goal. They scored a well taken goal from a free kick, and not so long later, the most dubious of handballs was given and they were given a penalty. The ball was driven at goal and hit a hand down by the defenders side, 750+ people shout for a penalty and the man in the middle gives it. Its duly dispatched.

We lose 2-1, and then the next day Stoke lose to Hull in exactly the same fashion. It was such a choker, and it really pissed me off if truth be known. Hence the motivation to only now write up some old drivel.

Hot Shots Part Deux tomorrow, lets hope its not a comedy like its film namesake.

Bridlington Town 7 (seven) Lincoln Moorlands Railway 0 (zip)

With the boy safely arriving in Milan for his week long school trip, I could fully concentrate on our next home game. Incidentally, the lad was swapping Queensgate for a trip to the San Siro tomorrow for the AC Milan v Chievo game – lucky sod….or so I thought, well no, I am really jealous.

However, to soften the blow the Brid Town lads put in one helluva performance that, for those who were there today, will not forget in a very long time. Scintillating, sublime, speechless, destructive, awesome, passionate, cracking, energetic, quick, magnificent, superb and “the dog’s bollocks”

It was raining, and it was horrible, sticky/clingy kind of rain. Not suitable for football at all. The ref had obviously decided he was in no mood for hanging around today and kicked off a couple of minutes early. And as i got to Phil and his raffle, Jack Wilkinson was already having a one on one with their keeper. The keeper making a fine save. Most of the crowd were huddled under the shelters of the main stand, the tea bar or the bus shelter. I’d decided to experience the persistent rain and stand over the far side, listening to the “reasonable” commentary from Talksport who were covering Stoke at Tottenham.

From the off, our lads were hungry, perhaps wanting to atone last weeks defeat, but they were untouchable. Jack, who had an outstanding game, (getting back to the sort of player he was a couple of seasons back but in a better team) got the opener after some excellent work from Nathan Hotte and Frank Belt. These two have now got such a great understanding, and work so hard getting up and down the right flank and put in some excellent balls and shots.

The second goal was probably thee best goal I have seen whilst following Brid from any side. Their must have been 12+ passes, mainly one touch, excellent movement that was started by, contributed by and finished by Ash Allanson – how many others were involved I don’t know – but this was scored in driving rain. And well deserved.

The third goal was similar, excellent passing and a cool finish from Craig Burdick, who was a real thorn in their defenders side the whole of the first half. Jack got his second just before the break. Half time and it was only 4-0.

Everyone was buzzing at half time. Stoke were drawing, only just.

Second half is only 3 minutes old and we are 6-0 up. Nathan has a shot deflected off a defender, who is credited for the goal (AFCW might be happy with that – £2 saved!!), but Nathan doesn’t disappoint and bags a beauty, literally seconds later.

After about 60-65 minutes, we aren’t as intense as we were, but you can understand that, as the lads had played their tits off. Perhaps it was the rain disappearing and the sun coming out that exhuasted them ? However, Moorlands were  still no match for us. Palms isn’t going to miss out on the goal fest and adds one on 79 to give us a handsome 7-0 lead.

Someone had put up on the forum a topic for predictions. At 1.15 or so, I had put 7-0 to us with an attendance of 144. final score was 7-0, attendance was …… 145. How close was that . so i go and get some lotteries and win chuff all, so it must have been a flukey guess.

Scarborough lose at Selby 3-2, and there seems to be some serious unrest there at the moment. Armthorpe lose at home to Hall Road 4-3, with James McGarry, Jamie Barmwell and Paul Palmer all netting. Rainworth win again at Arnold Town. Plenty of goals in the Pickering v Long Eaton game, with Long Eaton finishing 6-4 winners. Brodsworth still remain rooted to the foot of the table played 12, lost 12, goal difference -57.

My favourite team (Stoke) beat the team I hate the most (Tottenham) at White Hart Lane today with an 86th minute strike by Glenn Whelan. My other favourite team (Wealdstone) beat Aylesbury to reach the first round proper of the FA Cup, where hopefully they pull out Leeds, Darlington, Grimsby or some other Northern team, so I can go and watch them.

What a great day !!

Bridlington Town 5 Bottesford Town 0 (h)

Tonight we kicked off our NCEL Presidents Cup run against Bottesford, who are currently mid-table in the NCEL 1st division. We had a few first teamers out, well actually they were eating chips and drinking beer in the bar (but they were there to cheer on their team mates!!) and Bottesford by all accounts were playing a fairly youthful side.

Conditions were good, yet again the pitch is in excellent nick, but the mid week games are now starting off in full moonlit night, today was officially the last day of summer – someone should tell mother nature, that summer finished sometime in early June, and she owes me 3 months of bloody hot weather.

Didn’t think many would come, 108 in the end, not surprising really, when none of us know who the NCEL president is and which one of his cups we were playing for ?

We have vast swathes of possession in the game, and create enough chances to make it at least 12-0, but it takes us until 43rd minute to get off the mark and we get another about 40 seconds later. I only know this because someone told me, as I had gone to the bar for a drink and to see the last 5 mins of the 1st half of Leeds Liverpool. Bloody typical.

2nd half and I felt we lost our shape a little early doors, but our stamina and skill level shone through in the end, and we scored three very good goals in the last 15 minutes. to be fair to Bottesford they never gave up and with some better finishing themselves in the first half, could have scored two or three good goals of their own.

A good run out for the lads, better than a training session, however, Frank Belt, Nathan Hotte were subbed and both looked to be hobbling a bit – lets hope they are ok for the impending goalfest on Saturday against poor old Brodsworth who have played 7 lost 7 socred 2 and conceded 42. So 0-0 it is then … lol.

If i was playing NCEL championship manager 2010 on the Xbox for this Saturdays game, I would play the following formation(for this game only):

Wilberforce

Gibbo, Mountford, Dexter

Belt, Rhodes, Hotte, Allanson, Buttle

Palmer, Burdick, Wilkinson

For me, I can’t see them scoring many, if any against our normal 4-4-2. Lets go all out attack and aim for at least 12-15 goals, if they get one or two, so what? It’s not going to hurt us too much. (and as I have now built this thing up so much, I realise some changes need to be made as Burdick probably can’t play due to his suspension for his recent red card.) but you get my drift….if so, move Rhodes to front line, and bring in Dave Ricardo or Tom Lee into the middle.